Panel Blames Negligence for 37 Miners’ Deaths in NSCDC Custody, Seeks Officers’ Sacking

The Federal Government’s Independent Investigative Committee has ruled that the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State were caused by asphyxiation and were entirely preventable.

Presenting the panel’s report to Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in Abuja on Tuesday, committee chairman Jonathan Kure, a retired Deputy Director-General of the Department of State Services, said the victims died from environmental asphyxia. This resulted from prolonged confinement in a severely overcrowded cell, compounded by extreme heat stress and dehydration.

The committee explicitly attributed the tragedy to negligence, overcrowding, unsuitable detention conditions, failure of duty of care, and inadequate supervision. It found no evidence that physical assault or underlying medical conditions caused the deaths.

Kure stated that the deaths, which occurred on 17 September 2026 at the NSCDC Niger State Command facility in Minna, were avoidable. The victims included 14 minors and were among dozens arrested during operations against suspected illegal mining in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on 15 and 16 September.

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The panel further established that the arrest operation was conducted without an operational order or approval from the NSCDC National Headquarters.

Among its key recommendations, the committee called for the summary dismissal of the then Niger State NSCDC Commandant and all other officers directly responsible for the detention and the circumstances that led to the deaths. It also recommended the payment of ₦1.4 billion in compensation to the families of the deceased and to survivors of the incident.
Following the deaths, Tunji-Ojo had suspended the state commandant, Suberu Aniviye, and 20 other officers pending the outcome of the probe.

President Bola Tinubu had ordered a comprehensive, transparent investigation. A parallel judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Niger State Government has also been examining the matter, with testimony revealing that an officer on duty heard the detainees screaming about overcrowding and heat but did not open the cell for fear of being overpowered.

The committee’s findings and recommendations are expected to guide further disciplinary action, accountability measures, and reforms aimed at preventing any recurrence of such custodial deaths.